Terry Butcher: ‘There was a bit more to my game than a bloody shirt’ | Football | The Guardian Newport County Terry Butcher: ‘There was a bit more to my game than a bloody shirt’ The former England captain, now the Newport manager, loves the challenge of turning underdogs into a strong gang of men Terry Butcher had to make difficult decisions as soon as he became manager at Newport County. Photograph: Adrian Sherratt for the Guardian Friday 4 September 2015 13.50 EDT Last modified on Friday 12 August 2016 08.45 EDT Share on Messenger Close I arrive ludicrously early for my appointment with Terry Butcher , so I spend a while in the players’ lounge at Newport County’s training ground. Once the blood-soaked, lion-hearted stalwart of England’s backline, Butcher wipes my table clean, offers to make me a hot drink and then helps the cook put away some plates. Around him players, filling time between the day’s two training sessions, play darts and table tennis or sit around and chat.

Russell Osman, Butcher’s former team-mate with Ipswich Town and England and now his assistant, sidles over. “Don’t worry, they’re better at football than they are at darts,” he says, as the well-peppered wall around the dartboard gains another hole. “Trouble is, some of them are better at table tennis than they are at football.” With one point from their first five league games – plus instant elimination from the Capital One Cup and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy – Newport’s start to the season has been considerably more pong than ping. But there is mitigation: if the bookmakers are any guide they have played three of the six best sides in the division, two of them away; only once have they been beaten by more than one goal; in the cups they tested a strong Wolverhampton Wanderers side at Molineux before falling 2-1, and started their decisive shoot-out against Swindon on Tuesday night with six unstoppable penalties only to lose on the seventh.

Some early-season stumbling was anyway to be expected following a chaotic summer when the chairman, lottery millionaire Les Scadding , left the club, the squad was reshaped – Butcher’s first official day’s work in May involved releasing 13 players – and the club’s board collectively stepped down, handing control to the supporters’ trust. “It’s been a whirlwind, it’s been everything I thought it would be and more,” Butcher says. “I expected a lot of change. I knew a lot of players had to go, because the budget has been cut by half a million and the wage ceiling has come right down. Now Les has gone it’s a much different scenario. We had to make some hard decisions, particularly early on. There’s a lot more hard decisions to come I feel.” Butcher is one of three former England players who will spend this international weekend in a League Two dug-out, with Keith Curle now at Carlisle and Teddy Sheringham taking the first steps of his managerial career at Stevenage, against whom Newport won their only point .

“Teddy was part of the Premier League and with all the money that goes with that, you don’t expect someone of his earning potential to be managing a League Two side, that’s for sure,” says Butcher. “It shows that he’s prepared to work and to roll his sleeves up and get stuck in, so you have to admire him for that. The old route for a manager, many years ago, was to manage a lower league team and then progress through the ranks and the divisions and end up at the top. I seem to have gone the reverse of that: started at the top and ended up down in League Two.” Butcher’s 25-year managerial career is certainly atypical.

It started at top-flight Coventry, where he was signed as player-manager in 1990 at the age of 31 – “There were players who were older than me and I think half of them had been offered the job before I’d got there” – and has meandered chaotically ever since, most of it spent in Scotland and including spells in charge of Raith Rovers’ reserves, Dundee United’s youth team, and – during a spell out of the game in the mid-90s – the Old Manor Hotel in Bridge of Allan. Situated just off the Fife Coastal Path, the hotel allowed Butcher to indulge his passions for walking and coastal scenery (he owns a house in Bawdsey in Suffolk, near his childhood home, where he plans to spend his retirement engaged in similar pursuits). The team’s early-season form has wounded the pride of a man best remembered for another injury. Sunday marks the 26th anniversary of the match that made Butcher’s legend, a World Cup qualifier against Sweden in Stockholm that he ended drenched in blood after a clash of heads. “It’s a bit embarrassing,” he says of that image.

“There was a bit more to my game than a bloody shirt but there you go.” It could be worse, I suggest. Some people’s England careers are summed up by pictures of them being outjumped by handballing cheats, or holding a brolly. “Yeah, I wouldn’t want that in a million years,” he says. “Mine is a favourable one. I’ve been called the hardest Englishman ever, which is quite flattering, and I suppose that it is nice in a way that there is an image of me that people remember. And it sums me up well. That’s me to a T, that is. Bloody but unbowed.” Bloody, unbowed and enjoying a delightful coastal walk, Butcher seems to be a mess of contradictions. “I’m everywhere. I’m difficult to be labelled,” he says. “I think people would like me to be labelled and pigeon-holed, but I’m still changing. I’m uncomplicated, quite simple.

I like the good things in life, the family life.” Born in Singapore, raised in Lowestoft and employed in Scotland for most of the past quarter-century, Butcher is commuting to Newport from Bristol and finds himself forgotten in the country for whom he won 77 caps, seven of them as captain. “It’s quite nice coming down to England because I don’t get recognised down here,” he says. “I’d been in Scotland so long I’d get recognised everywhere, so you don’t get as much peace and quiet. When you come down to Bristol, people don’t know you and in a way that’s quite nice. I know a lot of people want to be noticed but I’d rather not be noticed at all. And I’m 6ft 4in so I’m quite noticeable. I just like the simple things. I like to walk my dog and a nice glass of wine – or several glasses of wine – and some good company.” In short, he seems now to have little in common with the Iron Maiden-loving (he says he still listens to them, but “I like Simon Mayo on Radio 2. I think he’s tremendous.

We listen to him while we’re having our tea”) centre-half who once said that pulling on a Rangers shirt was “like being pumped full of cocaine”. “Did I really say that?” he says now. “I wouldn’t know because I’ve never been pumped full of cocaine. I’ve never touched the stuff.” Butcher’s greatest successes as a manager have come at Motherwell, whom he guided through administration and to a League Cup final during four seasons in the early noughties, and at perennial underdogs Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Meanwhile, he failed at Coventry, Sunderland and, most recently, Hibernian. His CV suggests that he thrives when he should struggle and struggles when expected to thrive. This, if nothing else, should offer some encouragement to Newport supporters. “I love the underdog mentality. I like to roll my sleeves up and get stuck in. I can’t do it physically now but I can do it in terms of the work rate and togetherness and how you bond as a team. I’m sort of suited to that role. I love that,” he says.

“Motherwell were in administration when I was their manager and Inverness were relegated, so I think, ‘Yeah, here we go again.’ It’s the most enjoyable rollercoaster you’ll ever go on. “As much as I don’t like being pigeon-holed as a warrior, I do like to lead a band of men. A gutsy, strong, determined gang that punches miles above its weight. Getting success against all the odds, that’s me. If we do well this year, it’ll be one of those. It’ll be my biggest achievement in football.” With that England’s erstwhile blood-stained warrior is off, to fetch a plate of sandwiches for a local radio reporter. Terry Butcher: ASEAN players must get tougher - ESPN FC ESPN FC Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Real Sociedad Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » AS Roma Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Melbourne City FC Live football odds with bet365. Bet Now » Algeria Live football odds with bet365.

Bet Now » Senegal Ex-England captain Butcher says grit can help ASEAN players succeed Terry Butcher conducted a football clinic for aspiring young footballers in Thailand last week. BANGKOK -- Former England captain Terry Butcher believes it is only a matter of time before Southeast Asian players make an impact on the wider football world. But Singapore-born Butcher admits that it will take a shift in mindset if they are to reach the top of the game. The former Ipswich Town and Rangers defender made his comments during a visit to Bangkok to give coaching clinics, organised by sports management company OneSportMedia. He saw first hand what the next generation of Thai footballers had to offer and marvelled at the technical ability of the teenagers, many of whom are in the Bangkok United Academy. "Some of the skill levels are phenomenal and it's exciting coming into training as the standard is so high," Butcher told ESPN FC. "They don't always do things the way you want them to in terms of getting the ball forward quickly or holding onto the ball too long, but there's no doubt about it, they've got great skill.

"They like to score great goals and not scrappy goals but I think if you could combine a bit of British grit and cuteness to the skills they have, you could have quite a team. I really think that their technical level is ahead of most British kids at that age." This is high praise indeed from one of the best defenders of his generation, especially given the fact that Southeast Asian players have yet to make their mark in the world's biggest leagues. Butcher, who played in three World Cups including Diego Maradona's 1986 triumph, pointed to developing the right mentality as the key to unlocking the vast potential that exists. He feels that the players may be lacking the necessary competitive edge and had to learn to be a bit more "streetwise" on the pitch. "You've got to have the right mentality and it's very difficult to teach that," he said. "There has yet to be a huge influx of coaches from abroad that can teach the players the right mentality but they have everything else they need to succeed. "They perhaps need to learn to do the horrible things as well. While they have as much ability as players in other countries, they need to be a bit more cute and streetwise.

In a competitive sport, you've got to fight. But I think it will happen for them eventually, maybe in a few years or maybe in the next generation." The former national captain was regarded as one of England's toughest defenders, playing on despite a serious head wound against Sweden in 1989. A 1989 photo of Butcher, with his white England shirt turned red by blood flowing from a cut to his forehead in a World Cup qualifier against Sweden, became one of the most talked about football images of that decade. Butcher believes that sometimes unpopular restrictions on the number of foreigners in ASEAN leagues need to be maintained to help local players develop mental and physical toughness. He said, "You've got young players getting game time at a good standard and if you can get the right coaches to get them to the next level, the league can only improve. If the foreign players who come in are of a standard that can teach the Thai players mental strength, the standard should get far better.

There's so much to work with here, there are some excellent facilities and the people have got a real interest in the game." Butcher's link with Singapore comes from the fact that his father was stationed there with the British Navy at the time of his birth. He left at the age of two so has no personal recollections. But he has been made aware that he struggled to adapt to the cold weather when the family went back to live in England. He said, "Apparently, I was always wearing a coat because it was so cold. It was such a different time in Singapore. My dad told me that he used to get me, my mum and a dog sharing the same motorbike. I have been back since and it is one of the loveliest places I've ever seen." Butcher first moved into management as player-manager at Coventry City, at the age of just 32 but the spell lasted just over a year and he stayed out of management for 10 years before four seasons at Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League. A spell at Sydney FC followed but it was to end after less than a year. Butcher's last managerial role was with Newport County in the English fourth tier in 2015.

Butcher felt that he had more than his share of bad luck in his time Down Under. He explained, "I loved it in Australia. I lived in Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour -- the best place I have ever lived. But on the football side, there was a change of chairman and, as is often the case, he wanted his own men in and I eventually had to go. "I made just one signing in my time there and Dwight Yorke -- our best player by a mile -- left after my first game. We also had a three-point deduction to deal with. These are not excuses but some of the things I had to deal with in my time there." Butcher has been out of management since a brief spell at Newport County ended in October last year. But he was coy on the possibility of following his former England team-mates Bryan Robson, Peter Reid, Gary Stevens and Peter Withe by managing in Thailand. "I'm just here on a project and this is what I enjoy doing," he said. "And I've enjoyed it so much being out here." Butcher was born in Singapore but coy about the possibility of working in Asia on a full-time basis.

Butcher, who earned 77 England caps, was a player at a very successful Ipswich Town team in the late 1970's and early 1980's. He admits he can see parallels between his former club and Thai-owned Leicester City, who hold a two point lead at the top of the Premier League table. He said, "Like Leicester, we had a certain way of playing. We developed a system, we were hard to break down and that wins games. We had a small squad and there were no real superstars. I just hope they don't do what Ipswich did and fail to get over the line and win the title. I still think it will be difficult when they run into more determined teams towards the end of the season but it will still be very hard to stop them." It is hoped that Butcher has a positive effect on the young players he coached in Thailand. Watching the former England warrior in action spoke volumes of his ongoing passion for the game. Off the pitch, he is affable and gregarious, speaking enthusiastically about the sport that gave him a living.

Young players with aspirations, however, would do well to look back at Butcher, the player -- one of the most feared opponents for rival attackers in the 1980s. He may not have had the technical skills of some of the youngsters he has been watching, but he had a winner's mentality that took him a long way. Paul Murphy has lived in Thailand for nine years, contributing to ESPN FC since 2014. He is a former Daily Express (UK) sub-editor. @PaulMurphyBKK Terry Butcher (Soccer Player) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Terry Butcher Male Born Dec 28, 1958 Terence Ian "Terry" Butcher is an English football manager and former player. He captained the English national team, winning 77 caps in a ten-year international career that featured three World Cups. He made his name as an defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s and subsequently entered a managerial and coaching career.

As of 2013 he is the manager of Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Premier League.… Read More related links Terry Butcher Yahoo News - Nov 10, 2016 'The former England captain who literally bled for his country en-route to the 1990 World Cup - you all know the iconic photo - got his start to life in south east Asia after being born in Singapore where his father was stationed during Royal Navy service. \"My dad was a signalman in the Royal Navy, stationed in Singapore,\" Butcher explained in a 2009 interview with FourFourTwo . \"My mother came out to join him and I was born in late 1958. I always say I was conceived in England and born in... Former England Skipper Butcher Takes Over At Hibernian Reuters.com - Nov 12, 2013 'LONDON (Reuters) - Former England international captain <mark>Terry Butcher</mark> was named as manager of Hibernian on Tuesday, three days after watching his previous club Inverness Caledonian Thistle win 2-0 at Hibs in the Scottish Premier League.

\n \n ' Shiels Says He Is Happy To Have Proved Himself Right Scotsman - May 02, 2012 ' Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels would savour self-vindication more than confounding critics should his team finish seventh in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. Kilmarnock will clinch seventh in the SPL tonight if they beat St Mirren at Rugby Park and Aberdeen lose. Shiels had to rebuild his team following a host of key departures last summer and he is revelling in surpassing expectations after also winning the Scottish Communities League Cup. On the prospect of finishing seventh, Shiel... Hibs Must Improve Dire Post Split Record Scotsman - Apr 19, 2012 ' Seven points clear of Dunfermline and with just five SPL matches remaining, a pretty comfortable cushion for Hibs in the battle for survival in the top flight. Or so it would seem. For the Easter Road outfitâs record in the âpost-splitâ era in recent seasons makes grim reading, just three wins claimed in 25 such matches over the course of the past five years.

Itâs enough to send a shudder down the spine of every Hibee fan and reason enough for boss Pat Fenlon to have warned his players... Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Terry Butcher. CHILDHOOD 1958 Birth Born on December 28, 1958. TEENAGE 1978 19 Years Old Butcher made his debut for Ipswich against Everton in the First Division on 15 April 1978 and over the next eight seasons would establish himself as the club's top central defender, combining leadership with great aerial ability and courage. TWENTIES Show Less This was soon noticed by England manager Ron Greenwood who gave him his debut in a friendly against Australia in 1980. Butcher's impressive performances for Ipswich were noticed by England manager Ron Greenwood who gave him his debut in a friendly against Australia on 31 May 1980, when he was 21 years old.

… Read More He won his second cap 10 months later in a 2â1 defeat against Spain (also a friendly).<br /><br /> In 1982, Butcher was the youngest member of the back four which featured at the World Cup in Spain. He became a regular member of the national side at this stage and remained England's first choice centre back for the rest of the decade, playing in the 1986 World Cup. In that tournament he played in the match against Argentina where Diego Maradona passed 5 English players before scoring the 'goal of the century'. Read Less 1981 - 1986 2 More Events 1981 22 Years Old In 1981, Butcher was part of the Ipswich side that won the UEFA Cup under Bobby Robson and came close to their first League title since 1962, though they were pipped at the post by Aston Villa.

1986 27 Years Old In 1986, Butcher left Ipswich when they were relegated, and became one of the first 'English invasion' players to join Scottish club Rangers following the appointment of Graeme Souness as manager. … Read More Souness, the former Liverpool player, paid Ipswich Â£725,000 for him in July 1986.<br /><br /> As captain, he led them to three League titles in four seasons, plus two Scottish League Cups. Read Less 1987 28 Years Old In November 1987 he broke his leg during a Scottish Premier Division fixture against Aberdeen, which ruled him out for the rest of the season. … Read More Before he was injured, Butcher was close to signing a Â£1million return to England with Manchester United, but his injury saw the transfer cancelled and United manager Alex Ferguson signed Norwich City's Steve Bruce instead. Read Less In April 1988 Butcher was convicted of disorderly conduct and breach of the peace due to his behaviour in an Old Firm match in November 1987. … Read More He was fined Â£250.

Read Less In October 1988 Butcher was the subject of a police investigation when he kicked the referee's room door off its hinges after a match at Pittodrie. … Read More No criminal charges were brought, but the SFA fined Butcher Â£1500. Read Less A broken leg meant that Butcher was not in the England side which exited after the group games at the 1988 European Championship while manager Robson was forced to rely on an inexperienced defensive partnership of Tony Adams and Mark Wright. … Read More While playing for England in a vital World Cup qualifier in Sweden in September 1989, Butcher suffered a deep cut to his forehead early in the game. Butcher had some impromptu stitches inserted by the physiotherapist and, swathed in bandages, continued playing. His constant heading of the ball â unavoidable when playing in the centre of defence â disintegrated the bandages and reopened the cut to the extent that his white England shirt was red with blood by the end of the game. This match is often used when referencing Butcher even today.

Read Less THIRTIES Show Less His last Rangers game came in September 1990, in a 2â1 league defeat against Dundee United. … Read More His performance in that match was dismal and largely blamed on both of the opposition's goals, leading to him being dropped from the side. Read Less Leeds United manager Howard Wilkinson was soon in talks with Graeme Souness about bringing Butcher back south of the border, but when Butcher did depart from Ibrox it was in a Â£400,000 deal to become player-manager of Coventry City on 15 November 1990. … Read More One of his first games as Coventry manager was against the Leeds side he had come close to signing for, holding them to a 1â1 league draw at Highfield Road on 24 November. Other promising early results included a thrilling 5â4 home win over cup holders Nottingham Forest in the Football League Cup fourth round on 28 November. However, their quest for the League Cup ended in the quarter-finals on 23 January 1991 when they were beaten 1â0 at home by eventual winners Sheffield Wednesday.

Six days later their FA Cup was ended in a fourth round replay defeat by Southampton Read Less Butcher made six league appearances for the Sky Blues as they finished 16th in the 1990â91 First Division and then retired as a player. Coventry made a decent start to the 1991â92 season, crushing Luton Town 5â0 in their second league game and achieving a shock 2â1 away win over defending league champions Arsenal, as well as a 1â0 home win over local rivals Aston Villa- to occupy sixth place in the league by the end of September, putting them ahead of more fancied teams including Liverpool and Everton. … Read More However, their form over the next two months was less impressive, and by the end of November they had fallen to 13th place.

A 2â1 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on New Year's Day 1992 saw them enter the new year in 15th place, six points clear of the relegation zone.<br /><br /> He was dismissed on 6 January 1992 after just over a year as Coventry City manager, being replaced by his recently appointed assistant Don Howe.<br /><br /> He re-registered himself as a player in August 1992, when he signed for Sunderland â founder members of the new Division One, which was the second tier of English football following the creation of the new FA Premier League. He played 38 times for the Wearside club in 1992â93, becoming player-manager following the dismissal of manager Malcolm Crosby in January 1993 and securing their Division One survival by a single place. He never played again for the club and was sacked on 26 November 1993 after a disappointing start to the 1993â94 season saw them battling against relegation once again â with the battle being won under Butcher's successor Mick Buxton.

Read Less England made the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup with Butcher at the helm of a slightly more cautious back five (Butcher with Wright and Des Walker in the centre, plus full backs Stuart Pearce and â initially â Gary Stevens, later Paul Parker); he also took over the captaincy after an injury ended Bryan Robson's tournament prematurely. … Read More After the World Cup, Butcher retired from international football with 77 caps and three goals to his name over a period of 10 years, during which he had appeared in most senior English national games. Read Less He left Rangers on 15 November 1990 to become player-manager of Coventry City (as successor to John Sillett), at one month short of 32 he was the youngest manager in the Football League on his appointment.

… Read More Under Sillett, Coventry had won the FA Cup in 1987 and finished as high as seventh in the First Division in 1989, but a dismal start to the 1990â91 season had seen Coventry fall back into the relegation battle that had been all too familiar occurrence at Highfield Road since Coventry first reached the top flight in 1967. With Butcher's appointment as manager, Coventry were intent on returning to their winning ways. Read Less The early signs were promising. Butcher steered Coventry to 16th place and safety in 1990â91, and they entered 1992 in a secure 13th place, so it was something of a surprise on 6 January 1992 when Butcher was sacked as manager. Butcher had played six league games for Coventry in the 1990â91 season before announcing his retirement as a player.

… Read More It was to be 13 months before Butcher returned to football, when in February 1993 he was named manager of Sunderland, re-registering himself as a player, some two years after his last game. Read Less 1992 33 Years Old He achieved survival at the end of the 1992â93 season, but was sacked the following December. FORTIES 2001 - 2005 2 More Events 2001 42 Years Old In October 2001, he became assistant to Eric Black at Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League, taking over from Black a year later as the club was forced to deal with severe financial difficulties, which have since largely abated and Butcher has been praised by the club's supporters and media for his performance under those difficult circumstances. 2005 46 Years Old Motherwell reached the 2005 Scottish League Cup final, where his old team Rangers defeated them 5â1.

2006 47 Years Old After being linked with a possible move to Sydney FC for several weeks, he was announced as their new head coach on 17 May 2006, signing a two-year contract. On 7 February 2007, Terry Butcher was sacked by Sydney FC after being knocked out of the finals series with a 3â2 aggregate loss to the Newcastle Jets. On 30 March 2007, he was appointed as assistant coach at Partick Thistle. However, this was to be a short lived appointment as he became the manager of Brentford on 24 April 2007 (he officially took up the role on 7 May 2007). … Read More After a poor run of results, including only 5 wins in 23 matches, and under increasing pressure from the fans who had been chanting the name of former boss Martin Allen, he left Brentford on 11 December 2007. Read Less 2008 49 Years Old Butcher was named as George Burley's assistant in 2008 during Scotland's World Cup 2010 qualifying campaign.

… Read More Butcher still harboured resentment for Maradona's Hand of God goal against England 22 years earlier. So in the days leading up to a friendly against Argentina, managed by Diego Maradona, Butcher's views on Maradona were a talking points in the media. Butcher said in interviews that Maradona was a cheat and a liar, and he would be happy to see him lose. Scotland lost the game 1â0. When Maradona was asked about what Butcher had said about him, his response was, "Who is Butcher?" Read Less FIFTIES Goal.com's Top 50 English Players: Terry Butcher (48) - Goal.com Goal.com's Top 50 English Players: Terry Butcher (48) Featured 0 Apr 29, 2009 11:40:42 Goal.com are counting down England's greatest players of all time and at number 50 is a former captain, blood-drenched battler Terry Butcher...

Clubs Ipswich Town, Rangers, Coventry City, Sunderland, Clydebank The fact that Terence Ian Butcher is not held in the very highest esteem in all quarters can perhaps be attributed to the fact that he was born in Singapore, speaks his mind, and is now involved in the Scotland coaching set-up. That's too easy, however, for Butcher is a conundrum who cannot be summed up in such simple terms. The man who late last year reopened a rift with Diego Maradona, more than 20 years after a controversial incident, was picking his battles at an early age, refusing to join Norwich City's youth team to sign with his father's beloved Ipswich Town, the Canaries' bitter rivals. Growing up in Suffolk, the rivalry was ingrained into his brain from the off, and he rode The Tractor Boys all the way to England stardom. A burly 6'4" centre-back who was able to dominate in the air, due both to his physical attributes and his fearless mentality, Butcher made his club debut in 1976 and rose to prominence quickly.

Established as a club starter, he was handed his first England cap in a friendly against Australia by Ron Greenwood in 1980. CAREER HIGHLIGHT Bleeding England To Italia '90 A year later, the 1980/81 season, Ipswich were First Division runners-up, pipped narrowly by Aston Villa, and UEFA Cup winners, beating Alkmaar in the final. Far from a traditional powerhouse, their success that season has unfortunately become a little obscured by the passage of time. Still, Butcher was about to become one of the most storied defenders of the '80s, quickly taking another step up by featuring at the '82 World Cup in Spain. Although the squad's youngest at 24, Butcher played in four of England's five games as the side conceded just once. Their attack let them down, however, and they failed to make the knock-out stage. Former Ipswich gaffer Bobby Robson stepped into the England hot-seat after Spain. He would show complete faith in Butcher, who four years later would play a central role in one of the most memorable English World Cup campaigns ever.

The European Championships should have been wedged in between in '84, but England failed to qualify. At Mexico '86, Butcher held the Three Lions together after Bryan Robson was injured, and his replacement Ray Wilkins sent off. On the brink of elimination and under the kosh in the scorching Mexican heat, England held out for a 0-0 draw with Morocco, and won their next game against Poland to progress. A now-potent front-line then made light work of Paraguay to set up an infamous quarter-final show-down with Argentina – a Clasico intensified by the Falklands War. Maradona downed the English with the 'Hand of God', and then arguably one of the greatest goals in history. Last November, Butcher refused to "forgive and forget" the former, and many feel that he should have hacked down the maestro as he surged through to score the latter. BEST USER COMMENT "the picture with him soaked in blood is a symbol of determination and endurance. I feel he was the kind of player that never stopped running for the ball.

Spectacular!" - Tarek Kreidie | Saudi Comment Below Perhaps these could be considered low points, yet Butcher is nevertheless associated with this slice of footballing folklore for all eternity. In any case, there were far more highs and lows still to come for the stopper. Post-Mexico, Butcher moved to Rangers, becoming the cornerstone around which Graeme Souness sparked an Ibrox 'revolution'. The Glasgow side upped the ante by landing Butcher, who scored a league-winning goal at Aberdeen in his first season - the Gers' first title in nine years. Internationally, England had high hopes for the 1988 European Championships, but Butcher broke his leg and his country flopped again, while Celtic also wrestled the Scottish title back in his absence.However, he returned to spark two more title wins for Rangers, in '89 and '90, also winning the League Cup twice during his time in Scotland. Although Butcher had laid the foundation for the arrival of more English players at Ibrox, he eventually fell out with boss Souness and departed.

At this point, England were heading for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, but qualifying had been something of a chore and threw up the famous picture of a wild-eyed Butcher, white shirt drenched in blood. He'd suffered a deep cut to his forehead early on in Sweden, and the hasty stitches and bandages didn't hold for long. As he helped his side attain the point they needed to go to the finals, his wound eventually bled out, making Butcher an icon. England made it to the semi-finals in Italy, eliminated by subsequent winners West Germany. Butcher had played at the heart of a 3-5-2, assuming the captaincy after Robson was crocked. Another piece of Butcher folklore occurred after a second round win over Belgium, when he was seen dancing jubilantly with Chris Waddle in front of the England fans. After the tournament, Butcher retired from international football, also becoming player-manager of Coventry City. He's currently managing Inverness Caledonian Thistle and is a Scotland assistant, having had a somewhat up-and-down managerial career to this point. Terry Butcher will nevertheless always be associated with the English spirit.

HONOURS [Exclusive] Terry Butcher On England's World Cup Hopes, Team Selection And Why Carrick Is Likely To Miss Out Anthony Martial Attracting January Suitors: Should The Frenchman Leave on Loan or Stay Put At Manchester United? In this Edition of The Talking Game , we have Hibernian manager and former England captain Mr. Terry Butcher speaking to us, about his career with Ipswich Town, Three Lions’ chances in the upcoming World Cup in Brazil and more. Terry Butcher enjoyed a wonderfully successful career with Ipswich Town and later Scottish club Rangers and is regarded as one of the best English defenders of his generation. He was part of one of the most iconic images in football as he ended England’s vital qualifier against Sweden in 1989, soaked in his own blood after suffering a head injury at the start. After retiring from the game he went on to manage the likes of Coventry City, Motherwell and Inverness, before being appointed as the manager of Hibernian in November last year. We caught up with the 55-year-old Englishman as he talked about his career with Ipswich Town, his England career and the national team’s chances in the upcoming World Cup in Brazil.

Q: Tell us something about your Childhood and your journey from Singapore to Lowestoft Terry Butcher: My father was in the Royal Navy and was commissioned in Singapore. However I moved back to the UK when I was only two years old and eventually ended up in Lowestoft, Suffolk. My father became a Prison Officer and I graduated to the local Grammar School. Q: How big an influence was your father, who we believe was also an Ipswich Town fan, during your early career as a footballer and your decision to reject Norwich City? Terry Butcher: My father, Leonard, was a big influence on my football career and he drove me everywhere to train and play. He was a football fan and admired any team that played the game the right way. In 1976 I had a trial at Norwich City but as an avid Ipswich Town fan, I could not possibly contemplate signing for the enemy so I went to Portman Road for another four week trial, and signed after three weeks. Q: Tell us something about winning the UEFA Cup with Ipswich Town back in 1981 and that epic final with AZ. How were the nerves when Jos Jonker scored in the 73rd minute of the match in the second leg?

Terry Butcher: Winning the UEFA Cup in 1981 was terrific but, on reflection, it was the third choice of silverware in what was a momentous season. Runners up in the title race and beaten semi finalists in the FA Cup were huge disappointments but the eventual triumph in Amsterdam just about made up for losing the other two trophies. After the first leg and with a three goal advantage, we expected the second leg to be a formality but the Dutch side played a 2-4-4 system that gave us problems all the match. However, we held firm to win and to make the campaign a very worthwhile one. Q: You experienced a wonderful career with the England national team – was captaining England in the 1990 World Cup semi-final the most memorable moment of your international career? Tell us something about the match against Germany which you lost over penalties? Terry Butcher: I was very lucky to play for my country and consider every appearance as something special. I did not captain England many times but to be the only living Englishman to do so in a semi final makes me extremely proud. To follow in Bobby Moore’s footsteps is to tread the path of a true legend.

The match itself was a delight too and we played with a real confidence and belief. However, it was not to be our night and we also knew that whoever won our game would beat Argentina in the final because of their injuries and suspensions. It was the highlight of my career and my wife, Rita, son Christopher and my parents were all in the crowd to cheer me on in Turin. Q: Do you still hold grudge against Maradona for scoring that “hand of god” goal or ponder of over the genius of the man who scored what has been dubbed as the goal of the century? Terry Butcher: I do not want to discuss the Maradona goal in the quarter final as it still rankles with me now. It was disappointing coming from such a brilliant player. Q: One of the most iconic images is of course that of yours during the England’s vital qualifier against Sweden in 1989, when you were soaked in blood by the end of the match after suffering a head injury at the start. Of course you wouldn’t have been allowed to continue on the football pitch in similar fashion with the new laws in place in today’s world.

Do you feel football has gone a bit “soft” these days with players faking injuries in every matches and going down easily at every opportunity? Terry Butcher: My only regret about the injury sustained in Sweden was that I did not have the image rights to the subsequent pictures of me covered in blood! If I did then I would now be extremely rich and living the life of a wealthy recluse! As I was the captain I felt I had a duty to carry on and did nothing out of the ordinary, in my opinion, by doing so. Nowadays the game has really gone too soft and the amount of diving and simulation is appalling. However, we only have ourselves to blame as there could have been a stand taken at the beginning of the Premier League in 1992 as more continentals came into the new league. England in World Cup Q: Could Roy Hodgson look to emulate the Liverpool formula that has worked so well in the national team set up? The Liverpool front six consists of four English players, the roles of Luis Suarez and Coutinho can be transferred to Wayne Rooney and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain/Lallana.

Terry Butcher: I am sure that Roy Hodgson will incorporate a great number of Liverpool players into his World Cup squad as the Merseyside club has had a marvelous season. England will attempt to play an adventurous style but with control and discipline. Sterling should play as should Sturridge, as pace will be vital throughout the tournament, and Gerrard’s new role as the sitting midfielder will probably rule out Carrick starting. Q: Roy Hodgson has of course ruled out the possibility of John Terry’s return to the England side, but looking at the league form and his partnership with Cahill, should Hodgson look to persuade the Chelsea defender to come back from his retirement? Terry Butcher: Hodgson has also confirmed that Terry will not be going to Brazil but England’s best central partnership is Jagielka and Cahill anyway. This is a World Cup for younger players in my opinion, as the team needs to be constructed not for this tournament but for the one in Russia, with the Euros helping to weed out the elderly and the average. Q: England’s world cup group consists of the likes of Italy and Suarez led Uruguay, would qualifying for the knock out rounds count as success?

Terry Butcher: If England does qualify from the group, I would be extremely pleased as there are two teams, Uruguay and Italy, that will cause the Three Lions numerous problems. Even Costa Rica have some talented individuals so progress into the next round would be a good, solid effort. Q: Who would be your dark horse to make it to the England squad? Has Ross Barkley done enough, assuming the likes of Lallana, Sterling and Oxlade-Chamberlain are definitely on the plane? Terry Butcher: I would think of the future, as I have previously stated, and take Ross Barkley. Young, talented and quick footballers are the key to any success, internationally and domestically. In this case, I would also include Luke Shaw of Southampton. Lallana and Oxlade-Chamberlain would be in too. Q: What do you think is the best midfield combination for England at the moment? Do you think Michael Carrick will find a place in the starting eleven ahead of Gerrard and Wilshere (if he recovers in time)? Also what do you feel about Frank Lampard’s role in the side?

Terry Butcher: I don’t think Carrick will go as I said before, as the best midfield three would be Gerrard, Wilshere and Lallana. Maybe Rooney will play in behind Sturridge and allow Wilshere and Gerrard to sweep in front of the back four, but the wider men should be Sterling and Welbeck now that Townsend is injured. A back four of Johnson, Jagielka, Cahill and Baines in front of Joe Hart should make up the starting eleven. It’s very young but that is the reason to blood a lot of these youngsters in preparation for the next two tournaments, as we realistically have no chance of winning this year. Terry Butcher’s preferred starting eleven Q: Who according to you is the favourite to win the World Cup this year? Terry Butcher: My tip for the World Cup is a South American country; either the hosts or Argentina, with possibly Chile to finish third. It should be one of the best to see and the quality of football should also be high.

Question: In which country was former England footballer Terry Butcher born?
Answer: SINGAPORE